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Troy Brown 'created opportunities' for Welker. Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker will likely surpass Troy Brown's franchise receiving record, which he tied last week, on Sunday. Welker on Friday credited Brown for paving the way for his role in New England. "Troy was just such a great player here for a long time and he's done so many great things here, and it's really opened up things here for the position that I now play, that was his. And it's created so many opportunities for me," Welker said.

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It's been obvious to me that Welker's role in the road opener was throttled so that Brown could enter the Pats HoF with the record intact Saturday. I understand why the front office cannot say this and why the team would not. I can understand why Patriots All Access would not talk about this. What I cannot understand is why they would discuss other possibilities. Does it help ratings to speculate that the Pats are getting ready for life after WW? I expect Welker to have a big Sunday and that both he and Troy Brown will have a great weekend.

It's been obvious to me that Welker's role in the road opener was throttled so that Brown could enter the Pats HoF with the record intact Saturday. I understand why the front office cannot say this and why the team would not. I can understand why Patriots All Access would not talk about this. What I cannot understand is why they would discuss other possibilities. Does it help ratings to speculate that the Pats are getting ready for life after WW? I expect Welker to have a big Sunday and that both he and Troy Brown will have a great weekend.

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I called this opinion out as 'horsecrap' when it got brought up in another thread.

1) What you quoted doesn't make it any more than speculation.

2) You're trying to tell me if Welker was wide open for a sure TD Brady wouldn't have hit him?

The Pats have more things to worry about than Troy Browns record...and certainly if Sunday had been a close game. Imagine the uproar if the Pats were deliberately not giving Welker the looks for an ex player to keep his record for his induction the following week.

It's been obvious to me that Welker's role in the road opener was throttled so that Brown could enter the Pats HoF

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How about this much more plausible cause. The gameplan was set up to establish the run. See where they are from a proficiency and strength standpoint. Welker averaged five 1st downs a game last year. He was a machine. He, in essence was the equivalent to a solid run game.

I thought I saw somewhere that Edelman was in for some plays in place of Welker. Wouldn't that support the possibility that they were trying to save Welker until after Troy's induction?

As for Belichick making a move for PR, who knows? I think that he has tried to get players records before, and we know he has a ton of respect for Brown.

I don't think it's so far fetched.

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Or it could just be he's impressed a great deal through camp, he's the closest thing we have to a young, long term WR prospect on the team and he's earned some reps/BB wants to start phasing him in more.